


Trails of Blood and Wine

by kooky500



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, At one point, Banshees, Blood, CSI Yuuki, Dark, Dubious Consent, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Homophobic Language, Lawyer Kaname, Multi, Psychiatrist Zero, Serial Killers, Vampires, not sure what else to add right now, tags will be updated if need be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-02-17 17:36:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13081860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kooky500/pseuds/kooky500
Summary: “I’ve got a body, Kiryuu.”The man held back a sigh. Five words he hated to hear. It never got any easier despite what people said. “Cause of death?” He asked as he tugged on his jacket and got into his car.She paused. “Looks to be drained of blood.”“Vampires again. How fucking lovely.”~A.k.a: The supernatural detectives AU that my sister wanted





	1. Monsters stuck in your head

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladythecla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladythecla/gifts).



> So quick thing; Yes- I'm aware that male banshees don't exist. Shhhh and next, this takes place in America, cause I'm American and I'm more familiar with the American legal system.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Love it? Hate it? Leave a comment and tell me all about it. :)

“I’ve got a body, Kiryuu.”

The man held back a sigh. Five words he hated to hear. It never got any easier despite what people said. “Cause of death?” He asked as he tugged on his jacket and got into his car.

She paused. “Looks to be drained of blood.”

Yuuki was Zero’s partner, called in from a neighboring jurisdiction to consult on a case with him. He cursed under his breath as he ran a red light. “Vampires again. How fucking lovely.”

Yuuki hummed in agreement. She knew of Zero’s _attitude_ towards vampires and how quick he was to assume based on that, but this time she had to admit that it wasn’t without cause. Every single victim they’d found had been drained of their blood. “Zero, there’s one more thing. He looks like-“ She broke off, unsure of whether or not she should tell him.

“Looks like what?” Zero pressed, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice.

“Well… he looks like you.”

 He was quiet, “If that’s a joke, it’s not funny.”

“It’s not a joke, Zero. I wouldn’t joke around about something like this. This is the third one now. It’s almost like this killer is obsessed with you.”

“It’s just a coincidence,” Zero insisted. He refused to believe it even as a chill rolled down his spine. Yuuki was just bullshitting him like she was fond of doing.

“See for yourself when you get here,” Yuuki said before hanging up. She had a crime scene to examine after all and evidence to process.

***

About an hour later a black car pulled up along the street before parking. Zero stepped out of the car, shivering as he did so.

“It’s fucking cold out here,” He muttered under his breath as he looked up at the house in front of him. It was old, looked like it had seen better days, red bricks cracked and chipped with age. There was an old, wooden porch with stone steps leading up to it.

He started up the steps, flashed his badge at the officer at the door and ducked under the yellow ‘caution’ tape before pulling on a pair of gloves. Investigators were swarming every room. He looked around until he caught sight of a familiar head of brown hair wearing a dark suit and a blue jacket that read ‘CSI’ on the back. _Yuuki_.

“Hey,” He greeted, smirking when the woman jumped.

“Ass,” She chided.

He managed a chuckle before turning back to the scene in front of them. They were in the living room. The victim was a young male, couldn’t be older than thirty- with ash-blonde hair and pale skin. He was sitting on his couch with the TV on, blaring noise behind Zero.

The victim was sliced open, neck down to his navel, innards on display for everyone to see. Violet eyes had been torn out of his head and were resting in his palm. His mouth was filled with white lilies. Yuuki followed his gaze,

“Say, aren’t those-“

“My favorite flower.” Zero breathed. The room suddenly felt too small. His skin crawled and a shudder ran through him. He reminded himself that it was just a coincidence, but for a second the man on the couch could almost be _him._ His stomach rolled.

Yuuki looked at him with concern in her eyes. “Zero, are you okay?”

“I need some air.” He managed before turning around and practically running out of the house. He made it outside (thankfully) before he lost his breakfast.

The profiler leaned on his knees, heaving onto the ground below him. The man in there had looked like a carbon copy of himself. _What the actual fuck?_ It was the third victim they’d found like this and each time he’d stubbornly looked away, refusing to see what was right in front of him. Every time they all shared the same features; pale skin, light hair and violet eyes.

Even now, as he stood in the middle of fucking nowhere in the damn woods, he could feel eyes on him. _No, you don’t_ he told himself firmly. He was just being paranoid. One tiny, coincidence and now he was jumpy as hell. And that’s all it was, a coincidence. He couldn’t, _wouldn’t_ believe anything else. He was reading too much into it.

“Thought I’d find you here.”

Zero jumped at the sound of a voice. He spun around to face a woman in a dark pantsuit, platinum hair pulled back into a ponytail tight enough to hurt.

“Lilith,”

“Yuuki told me what happened.” A hand reached out to grip his shoulder. “You going to be okay? Because I need you on this case, Zero.”

 He gave a jerky nod in response. “Yeah, yeah I’m good.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Lilith was never one to argue with Zero about his health, not when lives were at stake. She and Yuuki often disagreed in that respect. The brunette thought she was pressing Zero too hard.

The two headed back inside of the house. Lilith gestured to the body with a wave of her hand.

Sometimes, Zero loathed his powers.

 Being a banshee meant that Zero could sense when death was coming to those around him, though that was far from the extent of his powers. He was also incredibly useful for aiding in criminal investigations. He could touch a body and relive the victim’s last moment from their eyes. More of a curse than a blessing, really.

He took a deep breath before reaching out and pressing his hand to the victim’s cold skin.

***

It was cold, so cold. And dark, couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, so much blackness. Blood, dripping from wounds onto the cement floor. _I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sor-_

Fangs, sharp, piercing his neck drinking in big, greedy gulps. Knives stabbing into his skin. He opened his mouth and _screamed._

***

Zero came back to himself, collapsing to his knees and dry-heaving onto the hardwood floor. “Torture,” He gritted out. “But the mutilation was done after he was killed. He couldn’t see anything or hear anything when he died.” He told Lilith.

“Just like all the other victims then.” The woman muttered. “Tell me, was this a vampire too?”

The man gave a nod. He could still feel those fangs in his neck.

 “Fuck,” Lilith muttered under her breath. Zero silently agreed.

Lilith and Zero had a complicated relationship. They got along most of the time, and would even go so far as to consider each other friends. But the rest of the time? They bickered like cats and dogs. Lilith was fond of pushing and prodding at Zero, sometimes taking things too far and every time Zero pushed right back.

Yuuki looked up from where she was paused, camera in hand mid-photo. “Oh, hello Lilith.”

“Yuuki.” The woman nodded in greeting.

“I found something that might interest you.” Yuuki held out a dark, jacket that presumably belonged to the victim.

“A jacket?”

“Look at this,” Yuuki pointed to a symbol on the fabric with four roses in a square with a cross in the middle and a fancy frame around it all. “He was a hunter.” She announced with a proud note in her voice.

“Well, that explains a few things. Good work, Yuuki.” Lilith said. A phone vibrated, Lilith cursed.

“Shit, I’ve got to take this.” She muttered an apology, pulling the phone out and walking out of the house.

“Eugh, this is so creepy,” Yuuki commented once their boss was gone. “I mean, look at it. It’s like- some grotesque doll or something.” She continued, motioning towards the body.

“Look at this,” She lifted his hands, showing missing fingernails.

Zero grimaced.

“What’d he do to piss this guy off?” He muttered. Beside him, Yuuki shrugged.

“That’s your job, not mine.”

***

A few moments later, a woman with honey-colored hair cut into a bob, wearing a pair of jeans and a dark leather jacket walked into the room. “Oh, Zero, Yuuki. Hello.” She greeted, quietly. Yuuki beamed.

“Hello Yori,” And she was gone. Now that Yori was there all of the brunette’s attention shifted to the other woman. She had eyes for nothing else, except for the forensic scientist. Truthfully, she couldn’t have been more obvious if she had hearts coming from her eyes.

“Are we still on for drinks tonight?” The female vampire asked.

“Of course.”

“You’re coming too, right Zero?”

Wait, what?

“Pardon?”

Yuuki pouted. “Zero! You remember when we agreed to go out for drinks with Yori, right? You, me, Kaito and my brother.”

He remembered nothing of the sort. In fact, he would love nothing more than to stay home. He looked at Yuuki again. _Damn it._ “Yeah, wouldn’t miss it.”

“Great!” Yuuki chirped, forgetting they were at a crime scene and receiving some questioning looks from the nearby investigators.

“Wait… your brother? The same one you’ve been trying to set me up with since forever, and I’ve been saying sounds like a pompous ass? _That_ brother?”

“His name is _Kaname,_ ” Yuuki said with a roll of her eyes. “And yes, that brother. I don’t have any other siblings. And he’s not a pompous ass. He’s just… a bit stand-offish. I think you two will really hit it off.”

“Doubt it,” The hunter muttered under his breath. And Kaito too? Where had Yuuki gotten the brilliant idea of inviting his ex? Don’t get him wrong, Kaito and Zero still maintained a friendship (though it was rocky at best), but to invite his ex… while attempting to get Zero and her brother together? That was a recipe for disaster.

After that, Yuuki and the rest of the crew finished picking up the crime scene, making sure all the evidence was securely tucked away and the body was transported securely to the morgue.

Zero just wanted to go home and forget the whole day had ever happened. He couldn’t stop seeing dead eyes and pale flesh when he blinked. Shaking hands gripped the steering wheel of his car. He really needed that drink right about now.

***

“Zero!”

The profiler winced as the sound of his father’s shrieking voice came through the phone. “Hey, Dad.”

“You never call anymore. What have you been up to?” Cross pestered.

“I’ve been busy is all, a lot of new cases lately and on top of that, I’ve gotten several new clients. I’ve also been offered a teaching job at Quantico.” He finished awkwardly. If there was one thing Zero hated, it was talking about himself. He preferred to keep to himself most times.

“That’s great,” Cross commented. “Are you going to take it?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m not exactly the teaching type.” Company wasn’t something Zero often enjoyed, let alone an entire classroom full of students. He thought about saying no when Lilith had offered him the job to begin with but something held his tongue. He still had another month to decide.

“Are you seeing anyone? I want to know if someone has captured my little boy’s heart!”

Heat rose to Zero’s cheeks. “Dad!” He let out a sigh,

 “If you must know, I am happily single right now.”

“What about Kaito?”

“We uh, didn’t work out. Could you put Papa on for a sec? I’d like to talk to him.”

“Oh! Of course!” There was a pause as Cross set the phone down and a faint yell of ‘Toga’ as the man called for his husband. A couple of seconds later a gruff voice picked up the phone,

“Hey kid,” Cross and Toga had only gotten married a couple of years ago, but they’d been together as long as Zero could remember. They’d raised him and Ichiru after their parents died.

“Hey, Pops. How are you? Not still smoking, I hope.”

“Doin’ good.” There was a guilty pause. “So what if I like my damn cigarettes?”

“Those things will kill you.”

“Everything and anything will kill you these days. How’s your brother? He still running that flower shop?”

Zero could recognize an attempt to change the subject when he heard it, but he let it slide. “He’s doing fine. Business is booming from what I heard.”

“Good, good,” Toga muttered. Really, the man had never been good at carrying on a conversation. “Cross and I are going to be in town, next month by the way. Something about a conference. You and the other kid want to meet us for dinner?”

“Sure, I’ll talk to Ichiru about it.” Zero replied, likely already knowing what his brother’s answer would be. Ichiru had never gotten on well with Toga and Cross. He saw them as trying to replace their parents. Even now, he rarely talked to them if he didn’t have to and mostly only talked to his brother.

Toga put Cross back on the phone after that. He and Zero talked for quite a bit longer, chatting about current events, the latest family gossip and upcoming plans among other things. Zero left out the part about the body that held an eerie resemblance to him. For a while, he could almost convince himself that it was all still a coincidence. Almost.

 Fifteen minutes of stories later and the sky outside had gone dark. Cross could talk for hours at a time on some nights, but it seemed that tonight was in Zero’s favor. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t keep you any longer,” Cross said. He sounded mournful before his voice turned serious once more.

“And Zero? Be careful, okay?” He knew what kind of job Zero had and the risks that came with it. That didn’t mean he had to like it, but he supported him all the same.

“I always am. Bye, Dad.”

 ***

_2 years ago_

_Zero let out a sigh, relaxing back against the wall and watching couples twirl on the dance floor in front of him. He quietly sipped his champagne. Weddings were a bitch when you were there alone. He cursed Kaito._

_Still, he was happy for his parents. It was about damn time they tied the knot. His eyes found the pair on the floor, Cross in a white tux and Yagari in black. They looked good together, happy even._

_The Kurans were around here somewhere, another reason that Zero wasn’t fond of being there. That family owned far more businesses than should be allowed. It left a bitter taste in the profiler’s mouth._

_“Hiding?” A sly, smooth voice asked. Zero turned his head, coming face to face with a tall brunette in a wine-colored suit._

_“Weddings aren’t really my thing,” Zero said in reply, taking a sip of the alcohol in his hand._

_“Then we are alike in that regard.”_

_For a moment, Zero simply regarded the man. He really wasn’t in the mood to make friends. But, he knew he’d never hear the end of it later if he didn’t make nice. After a beat, he held out a hand, “Zero Kiryuu. You are?”_

_The man clasped his hand and fixed him with a smile that was all teeth._

_“My name is Kaname Kuran.”_

“Kaname!” The sound of his sister’s voice startled the man out of his thoughts. It was ridiculous, but ever since that night, he’d been unable to get the ashen-haired male out of his thoughts. Never mind the fact that their conversation had ended a moment later by Zero throwing champagne in his face and storming off. Hell, Zero probably didn’t even remember meeting him.

But he’d never forget that face as long as he lived.


	2. Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuki, Zero, and their friends go out for drinks. Kaname is a flirt and Zero makes bad decisions while he's drunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos so far! Here's my Christmas present to you guys! Happy Holidays!
> 
>  
> 
> A quick warning for dub-con in this chapter, by the way.

When Yuuki had suggested going for drinks, a club wasn’t exactly what Zero had in mind.

Standing in front of a sleek, black building with a line halfway around the block, it was a far cry from the dingy bar that he’d expected. Then again, the woman _is_ a Kuran. Why is he not surprised?

Skipping the line, he walks straight up to the bouncer at the door. The man fixes him with a hard stare. “Zero Kiryuu.” The profiler says. Knowing Yuuki, he’s likely already on the list and if not well… this is going to be very embarrassing.

To his relief, the man nods and steps aside. “Welcome to the Bloody Rose.”

The club is loud; some dubstep remix of a song Zero doesn’t recognize blaring in his ears and white lights flashing over the crowd. There’s a bar on the left and booths lining the wall on the right. The smell of sweat, sex and… blood is heady in the air. He’d recognize that coppery odor anywhere; he’s had to endure it more times than he can count after all.

This is a _vampire_ club.

And oh, that revelation sends his skin crawling. He wants nothing more than to turn on his heel and walk out. Zero is a second away from doing just that when a hand tugs on his arm.

“Zero!” An excited if slightly tipsy, Yuuki greets over the noise. The DJ shouts something and the crowd roars in response. _Idiots._

Yuuki is still clad in her work clothes so at least Zero doesn’t feel left out in that respect. “Come on,” She says and then she’s tugging on his arm, pulling him through the throngs of people and toward a booth in the far back corner.

He spies Yori (who gives him a friendly nod) next to Kaito and across from them is a dark-haired brunette clad in dark pants and a white button-down shirt. _That must be the infamous Kaname._ He can see the resemblance between the siblings. They’re practically twins. Maroon eyes meet Zero’s as Yuuki comes to a stop.

“Zero, this is Kaname. Kaname, this is Zero.” She introduced the two of them, eyes flitting back and forth between the pair as she sat down.

“Pleasure,” Zero greeted unenthusiastically.

A slow smile spread across the vampire’s lips. “The pleasure is all mine,” He purred.

Zero felt his cheeks heat slightly and glared at the man as he took the seat next to him. There was a round of shots on the table and Zero picked one up and gulped it down, thankful for the familiar burn of whiskey on the back of his throat. It still felt like there were eyes on him, blood on his hands. He needed _way_ more alcohol.

“So, Yuuki tells me you’re a profiler.” Kaname’s smooth voice sounded, next to his ear. _Damn it._ Zero cursed in his head. Just as he was starting to forget about work too.

“Yeah, when I’m not seeing clients.” He replied eventually. Kaname had a cocktail in front of him, something that was dark red and matched the one in front of Yuuki. Zero tried not to think about it too much.

“Clients?”

“I’m a psychiatrist.”

Kaname hummed. “I see, impressive for one so young.”

_You can’t be much older than me, asshole._ “I… suppose.” Zero chose to take that as a compliment.

“What about you?” Zero asked. Yuuki had probably told him at some point but he tended to zone out whenever she talked about her brother.

“I’m a lawyer.”

“Really? What kind of lawyer?”

“Civil.”

“Well then, I suppose we won’t be seeing each other at work anytime soon.”

Kaname smiled at him again, that slow, sensual tilt of his lips. _Tell me I did not just think of Kuran’s smile as fucking ‘sensual’._ “No, I suppose not. Although, I wouldn’t mind the chance to see you again.” Man, this guy was pouring on the charm, wasn’t he?

Zero quirked an eyebrow. _Two can play that game._ “We’ll see,” He flirted back with a tiny smirk. Amber eyes glared at the pair from across the table. Yuuki and Yori were too absorbed in a conversation of their own to notice.

***

The drinks just kept coming after that. Oyster shots, cocktails, pickle shots, martinis, the list continued. Not even an hour had passed before they were all thoroughly inebriated. Yuuki and Yori mostly talked amongst themselves, occasionally chiming in and Kaito was content to try and kill Kaname with a glance.

“Yoriii!” Yuuki whined, drawing out her name. “I have to use the restroom. Come with me!”

The woman giggled and shooed Yuuki (who had a death grip on her arm) out of the booth. “Alright, alright. I’m coming.” She assured her and the two women sauntered off, leaving the three men to their own devices.

Kaname’s eyes flickered to Kaito in a telling glance briefly before he moved, turning to face Zero. As he moved, his elbow bumped into the man’s glass sending his drink spilling across the table and into Kaito’s lap. Kaito stood with a hiss.

“Oh, my mistake.” Kaname apologized flatly. “Would you like me to help you clean it off?”

“It’s fine,” Kaito insisted through gritted teeth. “I’ll just go clean it myself.”

Zero watched the man move out of the booth and towards the restrooms before he turned to Kaname. “You totally did that on purpose.” He accused with a frown.

“Perhaps,” The man replied, a tiny smirk giving him away.

It was rude, petty and completely uncalled for. Still, the profiler found himself quirking a small smile. It _was_ somewhat amusing seeing Kaito fume. Zero chuckled lightly before looking at Kaname once more, his smile turning playful.

“So, you’re a vampire.” He said. “You going to eat me?” Zero questioned with an exaggerated eyebrow wiggle. What could he say? Alcohol made him bold. Under any other circumstance, he’d be appalled at himself, flirting with a _Kuran._ But it had been too damn long since he’d gotten laid and he desperately needed a distraction right now.

“Only if you want me to.” Came the vampire’s reply, voice low. For a second, just a split second, something dark shone in Kaname’s eyes. It was gone in an instant, so fast that Zero thought he might have imagined it.

 It was such a cheesy response yet Zero felt his cheeks flush as he chuckled lightly. It was the voice. It had to be. Smooth and deep, it sent a shudder down Zero’s spine. _Fucking hell._

“And you’re a banshee. I didn’t think male banshees existed.”

Zero raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Yet here I am.”

Kaname’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. “Indeed, here you are.” Dark eyes skimmed over Zero’s torso, coming to rest on his collarbone where the top button of his shirt was undone. Unconsciously, the two found themselves leaning towards each other. Zero swallowed and Kaname’s eyes tracked the movement. The vampire’s eyes flickered to Zero’s lips and-

Kaname’s phone vibrated on the tabletop.

 Just like that, the mood was ruined. The vampire and the banshee pulled away from each other as Kaname reached for the phone. Zero’s heart thumped a little faster in his chest as he tried to clear the image of Kaname leaning towards him, eyes dark and lips parted.  The brunette frowned as he looked at the screen in his hand.

“Ah, my apologies.” He said. “Something has come up at work. It seems I’m needed.”

“Oh,” Zero sincerely hoped the vampire couldn’t hear the disappointment in his voice. He moved so that Kaname could exit the booth. The vampire apologized again and Zero waved him off. He understood what that was like, having to worry about work interrupting.

And then the vampire was gone, hurrying out into the night.

Yuuki and Yori returned shortly after that, but only to tell Zero that they were leaving. Their clothes and hair were mussed and Zero held back a smirk. He made sure they called a cab at least; drunk as they were, neither was in any condition to drive. They left in a flurry of drunken giggles.

***

And that left him and Kaito. Kaito came back to the table and the two spent the better part of an hour catching up and trading stories. There was a pleasant buzz in Zero’s head from the alcohol and for a minute, he missed this. How easy things used to be between them, how _good_ they were for each other.

He knew he shouldn’t. That it was only the alcohol talking and he’d surely regret this come morning. But in that moment, he missed Kaito. He missed what was between them. Before he could stop himself he was reaching across the table, pulling Kaito in a kiss. For a second the other man simply sat there, before fingers dug into ashen hair and a tongue prodded at Zero’s lips, eagerly returning the kiss.

Things were a blur after that. Zero vaguely recalled getting into a car with Kaito at some point and winding up at his apartment. Clothes were tugged off, strewn about the apartment in their haste, shoes kicked off at the door. The next thing Zero knew, he was being pressed down into a bed, chanting Kaito’s name like a prayer.

***

Meanwhile, dark eyes watched as Zero and Kaito stumbled out of the club, Kaito’s arm slung around the ashen-haired man’s waist. Sharp teeth ground together. How dare that mongrel touch what was his? How dare he lay his filthy hands on his _darling_?

He looked on silently as the pair got into a cab. _Vile, filthy little parasite._ Zero was his, _his!_ He always had been and always would be. That _dog_ was not worthy of Zero’s touch.

Oh, that mongrel would live to regret this.

***

That night Zero’s dreams are filled with blood and viscera. He stands in a river of the thick, red liquid as it tugs at his legs, pulling him down. It rushes in, through his eyes, his nose, ears, and mouth until he’s completely surrounded, submerged in the blood. Drowning in it.

He comes awake with a jolt, body freezing, stiff as a board. Immediately Zero is aware of three things. One, that his head is pounding. Two, the distinct _lack_ of clothing on his body. And three, that there’s a warm body behind him, an arm around his waist hugging him to a solid chest.

All at once the events of the previous night come flooding back to him. The club, drinks, Kaname, _Kaito._ Fumbling with the sheets, Zero scrambles out of bed. A bed that he’d shared with his _ex._ Fuck. There’s a substance dried on his legs that he tries not to think about. He walks over to his dresser and pulls on a pair of briefs before moving back over to the bed.

“Kaito,” He hisses. “Wake the _fuck_ up!” He reaches up and nudges the man none too gently with his foot. The man mumbles incoherently before stirring.

“Mmm, what?” He slurs.

“Don’t you fucking ‘what’ me. We _slept_ together!” The words are hissed through gritted teeth. “How the fuck did we end up sleeping together? Fuck. Shit. We didn’t even use a damn condom. When was the last time you were tested?” Zero is freaking out now, pacing the floor of his apartment and wringing his hands through white locks.

“Zero, babe-“

“Don’t call me that!” He snaps.

Kaito holds his hands up in surrender. “Fine, _Zero_. It’s fine. I haven’t been with anyone since you, I swear.”

The other man relaxed slightly at that. “This doesn’t mean anything. We aren’t getting back together.” He insisted. Those words were harsh, but Zero was just being truthful.

“I get it, don’t worry,” Kaito assured him. Yet his face suggested anything but.

Zero felt horrible. Not just physically either. He felt horrible for sleeping with Kaito. He’d had a good thing going with Kaname last night and here he was in bed with his ex.  Sighing, he reached over and grabbed his phone off of the nightstand.

“I have work in an hour.” He groaned. He didn’t, but he was in no mood to deal with Kaito right now. “I’d appreciate it if you could make yourself scarce, Kaito.”

“Seriously? You’re kicking me out?”

“Kaito,” Zero growled, warningly.

 “Alright, alright. I’m leaving.” The brunette grumbled, picking his clothes up off of the floor and getting dressed.

Zero’s head fell into his heads as the front door closed behind him. What had he done?

***

“Brother, I’m home!” Yuuki called out. It had already been almost two weeks since the last body was found and she and Zero had met up for drinks. Sadly, they were no closer to the killer than they were two weeks ago. Recently the tabloids had taken to calling him ‘The Dollmaker’, a name that Yuuki thought was rather disturbing. Which was probably what they were going for, she now realized.

Silence greeted her as she entered the apartment. Yuuki bit back a sigh.

Kaname worked a lot of late nights, which was no secret. But it was starting to get to her. They barely saw each other anymore. He wasn’t even home for dinner anymore and often would only show up well past midnight. Was it really only work? Or was something else taking up her brother’s time?

And then there was Zero as well. She thought he and Kaname had gotten along well, but he hadn’t contacted him after that night at the club. _Did I push too far?_ She wondered. Yuuki often caught herself worrying about her partner. Three bodies that all looked like Zero. That couldn’t be a coincidence. _Could someone be watching Zero?_ The vampire felt a stab of sympathy, imagining the fear and paranoia that the banshee was probably going through. She wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

As Yuuki slept that night she couldn’t quite shake the feeling of eyes on the back of her neck.


	3. Oh, you're a loaded gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Zero makes a mistake that he can't undo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, thank you for all the kudos and comments, it really means a lot to me! I've been having a rough go of it lately as I just lost a pet after taking him to 3 different vets in an effort to save him, so writing has been pretty hard to do.
> 
> Quick note - I'm sorry for this chapter. Also, there's a reference in this chapter if you can spot it ;)
> 
> Oh and Happy New Year!

Zero was decidedly _not_ in the mood for this shit. The sound of his phone rang loudly throughout the apartment as his hand fumbled around on the nightstand in search of said device. Glaring, he picked it up and glanced at the caller ID.

_Lilith._

Fuck. “Hello?” His voice was low, groggy with sleep. It was the middle of the damn night after all. What _else_ could he possibly be doing?

“We’ve got a new one. We think it might be The Dollmaker.”

 _Well, there goes my sleep._ He hefted himself out of bed, stretching as he did so. “I’m on my way.” He mumbled into the phone before hanging up.

_Fuck._

***

The wind was cold, ruffling Zero’s sweater as he pulled up outside of the apartment complex. Black SUVs were already swarming the streets when he arrived. Yuuki was waiting for him outside, her nose and cheeks pink from the cold.”How bad is it?” He asked. She pursed her lips,

“ _Bad._ ”

The pair climbed the stairs as Yuuki led Zero to the apartment. She gestured for him to head inside.

Zero sucked in a breath at the sight before him. A young woman, spread out on the floor, her eyes gouged out and intestines strung around her neck. Her tongue had been cut out; mouth filled with lilies again and her heart was resting in her palm, bloody and dripping onto the floor below. She was split down the middle, her insides gone and replaced with roses. Her hair looked like it had been dyed recently, the silver only just starting to fade.

“There’s more,” Yuuki said behind him. “This one was a hunter too.”

Zero waited for the feeling of sickness that didn’t come. There was no nausea, no urge to vomit. Nothing. And that scared him more than anything.

“Any evidence of sexual assault?”

Yuuki shook her head. “No.”

“Small mercies,” The profiler muttered. He touched his hand to the woman’s forehead.

***

The feel of a knife blade on his skin, cold steel against warm flesh. This woman killed people like Zero, people who weren’t _human._ And here he was, trying to find out who had killed her. It was ironic, in a way.

There was no pain as the knife dug into her flesh; a banshee couldn’t feel the pain of the deceased after all.

Did this woman deserve to suffer like this? ( _Yes_ ) No. Did she really deserve this pain and torture at the hands of a monster? She’d slaughtered probably countless others, all in cold blood. People with families, friends - all dead at a hunter’s hand.

 “ _Zero…Zero…_ Zero!”

***

He came back to himself with a jolt. Yuuki’s hand was on his shoulder, her grip tight and brown eyes looking at him with concern. “You were screaming.” She told him with furrowed brows.

“I was?” He still felt chilled, a cold that shook him to his bones and left him feeling void and empty.

“Zero, are you okay?” Yuuki questioned almost hesitantly. The banshee could barely hear her over the rush of blood in his ears.

There had been a moment, however brief, in which he’d almost wanted the woman to suffer.  He’d like to say that his thoughts hadn’t been his own. But that wouldn’t be true, now would it?

God, it was getting harder and harder to crawl into these victims’ heads. He’s not sure how much more of this delving into dark spaces he can take before something inside of him snaps.

“I- no.” He swallowed, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I feel like I’m losing myself,” He confessed. “Like something inside of me is coming undone and I don’t know how to stop it. I can feel their blood staining my hands.” His voice shook as he spoke.

“Zero, maybe you shouldn’t be doing this anymore.” Yuuki gently suggested.

His mouth twisted into a wry grin. “Who else can? You know how rare banshees are these days. Think of how many lives we’ve saved already.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Yuuki argued. “I’m your friend, Zero. I don’t care about the lives you save, I care about _your life_.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. He supposed Yuuki was among the few people he counted as friends. But, he’d never had someone care this much before.

“She’s right, Zero.” He whirled around at the sound of Lilith’s voice. The woman leaned against the doorway, watching the pair. She held up a hand, “I should have done this from the beginning. Zero, I’m taking you off this case.”

He gaped at the woman. “You can’t do that - I’ve been on this case since the _beginning!”_ He’d devoted everything to this case.

“I can and I am.” The woman sighed, rubbing her temples. “Zero, this guy is very clearly obsessed with you. I think it’s dangerous for you to get any more involved in this case. Go home. Get some rest; you look like you need it.” Lilith said firmly.

Zero wanted to argue, but he held his tongue. He knew enough to know when not to speak. He nodded before turning and making his way out of the apartment.

***

 _Zero was in a church. Stained-glass windows stretching wide above him and rich, red carpet lining aisles. The pews were packed with people, all in dresses and tuxedos. At the front, stood five women and five men on each side, clad in matching dresses and suits._ A wedding?

_As if on cue, they all spun around to face him. All of their eyes were gone, leaving bloody sockets in their place and white lilies in their mouths. His feet moved of their own accord, carrying him down the aisle while empty gazes followed his every step. In his hands, he held a bouquet of red roses._

Eyes snapped open, focusing their gaze on the ceiling above him, chest heaving. Sheets stuck to sweat-drenched skin. “Shit,” Zero muttered. Maybe Lilith and Yuuki were right, he’d gotten too close. It was time to back away from the edge before he fell. A quick glance at his phone showed that it was still only three in the morning. He let his head flop back down onto the pillow as he tried to get a bit more sleep.

***

The next day was one of the rare days that Zero had off. He busied himself around the apartment with chores, grocery shopping, and other boring tasks. He’d never admit as much, but he was _bored._ It was around noon when his phone rang, the call from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Zero,” The voice on the other end purred. _Kaname._ But how did he get Zero’s number? One name came to mind. _Yuuki._  

He hated the way his heart leapt in his chest at the sound of the man’s voice. Like he’d been waiting for Kaname to call him. Which he hadn’t. At _all._ “Is this a bad time?”

“No, not really. How did you get my number, exactly?”

“Ah, I’m afraid I was sworn to secrecy. My lips are sealed.” The man said, not sounding regretful in the slightest. “How are you doing by the way? It’s been a while since we last talked.”

“I’m fine.” _Except for the fact that I was kicked off of a case that meant everything to me._ What was with this? Not more than three weeks ago he’d _hated_ Kaname Kuran and now he was carrying on a conversation with the man like nothing had ever happened and dealing with the fact that _maybe_ he didn’t hate the other man as much as he thought he did.

The vampire chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that. I’m sorry I had to leave so suddenly last time. There was a fire in the building where I work and some very important documents were destroyed. We have digital backups so nothing was permanently lost but it did make for some late nights.”

Zero’s phone vibrated, alerting him to a new text message.

“What was that?” Kaname asked.

“A text, probably from Yuuki. Don’t worry, I doubt it’s anything important.” He refused to admit that a part of him was still bitter about being let go from the case. He was actually enjoying talking with Kaname and a text message was not an excuse to hang up on the man.

 “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Kaito and I left not long after you did anyway.”

On the other end of the line, Kaname’s jaw clenched. “Which brings me to my next question, would you be interested in getting coffee together sometime?”

“With me? Why?” Zero had blurted the words out before he could stop them.

 “Because I find you intriguing, Zero. I want to know more about you.”

“Oh.” Zero’s cheeks reddened. Damn it, he felt like a high school student all over again, blushing at the slightest bit of interest. Still, Kaname was an attractive man, he could admit that much. But was he ready for another relationship again?

“Did I say something wrong?” Kaname asked as the silence dragged on. Nausea curdled in Zero’s stomach. He hadn’t been with anyone since Kaito and even then, they’d been friends for years beforehand. He hardly knew Kaname. Was he willing to risk it?

Yes.

“No, no!” Zero rushed to assure him. “I mean- yes. Yes I’d love to get coffee sometime.”

Someone was pounding on his front door, rather loudly now. “Shit, that’s probably Yuuki. It must be important after all. I should answer that.”

“Are you sure? What if it’s no-“

“Bye,” Zero didn’t mean to cut Kaname off, but he wondered what Yuuki wanted. She never came to his place unless it was something serious.

He threw open the door, eyes widening when he saw Kaito instead of Yuuki.

***

The man pushed past him, into the apartment without a word, running his hands through his hair. He gripped Zero’s shoulders hard enough to bruise as the banshee shut the door and the profiler winced.

“Kaito? What the fuck?” Something wasn’t right here. Zero stiffened, body going taut as he watched Kaito.

“Zero- my house- it’s- they-. Fuck. Blood and-“ He was muttering under his breath, words coming out fast enough that Zero couldn’t make sense of them.

“Slow the fuck down, you’re hurting me.” Zero pleaded. There was something frightening about the man when he was like this. Not that Kaito would listen. He never listened.

“I’ll go make us some tea and we can talk about this.” He walked off towards the kitchen without bothering to wait for Kaito’s reply. Truthfully, he just wanted to put as much distance between them as possible at this point.  After he put the water on to boil, he grabbed his phone deciding to check his text from Yuuki.

**From: Yuuki**

_Zero_

_Kaito is The Dollmaker_

_Stay away from him_

Zero’s heart froze. His blood turned to ice. _Fuck fuck fuck-_

“Zero.” He whipped around at the sound of Kaito’s voice.

“I can explain.” The other male insisted, hands raised in surrender. The banshee instinctively reached for his gun, removing it from his waist and leveling it at the man. He wasn’t thinking straight, blood rushing through his ears and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

It made sense. All of it made sense. The way he knew everything about Zero, the jealous looks Kaito had kept shooting Kaname, all of it clicked into place. He wanted to give Kaito the benefit of a doubt. But how could he when all the evidence was right there in front of him? His fingers shook.

“Don’t come near me,” He warned when Kaito took another step.

Betrayal and anger settled on Kaito’s face. A look Zero knew all too well. “Zero, baby, you _know_ I wouldn’t do this.” Oh, how the tables had turned.

“Don’t!” Zero hissed. He felt sick. He couldn’t believe he’d been in bed with this monster not that long ago. That he’d _trusted_ him. “I’m not defenseless anymore, Kaito.”

Things happened in a blur.

Zero’s door slammed open, the wood hitting the wall with a loud crash. His finger tightened on the trigger before he could stop it.

The gunshot reverberated throughout the apartment. Amber eyes went wide in shock as a bullet soared through Kaito’s stomach. The banshee’s eyes went wide as he realized what he’d done. Kaito crumpled to the ground as Zero lunged forward. The gun hit the tiled floor.

“Fuck,” There was so much blood, seeping out of the wound and onto the floor. Zero’s hands pushed at the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. More blood squelched through his fingers as Kaito struggled for breath, choking and gasping for air. It wasn’t working, none of it was _working!_

Something was tugging inside of Zero’s chest. He remembered this feeling, this was what he’d experienced right before his parents died. A cold feeling shook him to the bone, settling over him like an old friend. Blood rushed to his ears. The noise around him seemed to fade away as he felt the familiar tug of death before he threw his head back and _wailed._

The haunting sound bounced off of the walls and echoed through the halls. Windows shattered, glass splintering across the floor. And then, as Kaito’s life faded, the banshee’s screams slowly died out.

“Zero!” Suddenly there was a hand gripping his shoulder, pulling him away.

“No! No, I can’t-“ he struggled, reaching for Kaito who was lying much too still. It was fruitless and he knew as much but he had to _try_.  He shoved against the iron-clad grip on his shirt.

“He’s gone, Zero!” A hand spun him around so he was facing maroon eyes. Both hands gripped the profiler’s shoulders now, steadying him. Lilac eyes focused on the face in front of him.

“Kaname?” Zero blinked at the man. He had a brief moment to wonder where Kaname had come from before the panic set in. _Oh god._ “I killed him,” He whispered, horror filling his voice. “I killed him. Oh my god, what am I going to _do_? Fuck!” He was working himself up into a frenzy, one shaky gasp after another.

“Breathe, Zero,” Kaname instructed, taking a deep breath to demonstrate. _In and out._ Zero nodded, keeping his eyes fixed away from Kaito as he followed along, matching his breaths to the vampire’s. His fingers clutched the vampire’s shirt life a lifeline.“Now, we’re going to call the police and tell them what happened.  Okay?”

The man nodded. “Right, of course.” Police. Yes, police were good. He could do that. Things were going to be fine. Everything was going to be okay.

Now if only he could believe that.

***

An hour later found the streets swarming with lights, police cars and an ambulance parked in front of Zero’s apartment building. The ashen-haired man sat on the curb of the street, a shock blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He’d just finished telling the police his story.

They’d found traces of DNA from the last victim on Kaito’s clothing. It didn’t lessen the guilt that formed in Zero’s stomach.

A warm cup of coffee was pressed into his hands. “You know, when I asked you out for coffee this wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Zero managed a weak smile at that before the joke fell flat. Kaito was dead. That in itself was hard to believe and by his own hand no less. “Thanks,” He muttered. “Is this the part where you tell me it wasn’t my fault?”

He hated to admit it, but a part of him was glad. Kaito wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again.

“Is that what you want me to say?” Kaname took a seat beside him.

“No,” Zero answered truthfully. He wasn’t sure there was anything Kaname could say that would make this better. “How did you know where I lived, anyway?”

“Yuuki told me. We were having lunch together nearby and she assumed that Kaito would go after you.” Kaname explained.

“So she sent you to… what? Protect me?” Zero snorted. Sometimes he wondered if Yuuki even remembered that he had been trained to be a field agent. He could defend himself just fine.

“Yes,” The vampire replied with a small smile.

Zero was quiet for a beat, sipping on the beverage in his hands. “Thanks for being here. I-“ His throat tightened “I appreciate not having to go through this alone.” He closed his eyes and let his head drop onto Kaname’s shoulder. It probably wasn’t appropriate, given that they hardly knew anything about each other. But right now, Zero needed the comfort of another person. Silently, Kaname lifted his arm and placed it around Zero’s shoulders, tugging the banshee closer.

 It’s amazing how quickly things can go to shit. One minute everything’s fine and the next it’s not and everything you know has changed. Zero sighed, listening to the sounds of the city around him. He’s still hoping that he’ll wake up and find that this has all just been a bad dream.


	4. This ain't for the best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zero has a good day for once.
> 
> A.k.a This is shameless filler and fluff, so feel free to skip this chapter if that's not your thing.
> 
> Tune in next week for your regularly scheduled angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so… it occurred to me that I may have forgotten to mention some things about this AU so, here they are:  
> \- Zero, Kaito, Yagari and the rest aren’t hunters and have never been
> 
> \- The vampire class system (Level D, pureblood, etc) doesn’t exist here. There’s just vampires, period.

“How did it happen?” Zero asks. His throat tightens and his stomach rolls but he ignores it because he _needs_ to know.

“Zero,” Yuuki sighs. She knows she’s not supposed to tell him. But she also knows that she will because it’s _Zero_ and he’s become a best friend of hers.  Her bleeding heart will be the death of her one day. She glances around them. The bar is mostly empty, only a few patrons still lingering on the other side of the room. She leans forward anyway, towards Zero. “Skin cells,” She tells him. “Yori found skin cells underneath the girl’s fingernails.”

“Fuck.” Then,” Is that all of it?”

The vampire shakes her head and takes a sip of her drink. “I wasn’t finished yet. It took some jumping through hoops, but Lilith got us a search warrant for his place. “ She paused. “It was horrible. There was a body, right there in his kitchen. We found traces of blood in the basement, as well as knives and scalpels. We’re still waiting on the results of the DNA from the blood.”

“And Kaito himself?”

“Took the fire-escape just as we kicked the door in. I tried to chase him but-“ Yuuki trailed off, shaking her head. “It was the middle of the night. I lost him. Lilith said we’d draw up a sketch of him and get it on the news in the morning. Which you _might_ have seen if you’d bothered to watch the news.” She finished with a pointed glare.

The banshee sighed, lifting his glass of whiskey to his lips. He didn’t say anything to Yuuki’s words, didn’t need to. “There’s something else, too. We found pictures… of you. Dozens.”

A chill ran down Zero’s spine. How long had he not known? How many times had he been over to Kaito’s place at not even noticed that something was off? He didn’t bother to ask when the pictures had been taken. He didn’t want to know.

Yuuki reached out and gripped his hand. “I’m sorry, Zero.”

He is too.

***

It’s hard to believe it’s been a month since Kaito died. Zero can still feel the blood beneath his fingers like it was yesterday. Some of its still stuck underneath his nails. He goes about his day with a feeling of numbness. Why does he grieve? Kaito was quite honestly, a monster, plain and simple. Yet Zero feels the sting of his absence like salt in an open wound.

Kaito’s family members don’t speak to him. He supposes that’s for the best. They’ve probably seen the news by now anyway, he doesn’t need to rub that in.

Zero has also struck up a tentative friendship with Kaname. A _Kuran_ of all fucking people. They started talking on the phone one day and found out they have quite a bit in common. For example, while not gone like Zero’s - Kaname’s parents separated at a young age, his mother winning a nasty custody battle over him and Yuuki. They both love their siblings more than anything in the world and share an immense dislike for animals.

Zero was comfortable around Kaname, a rare phenomenon indeed. Those that were like him- not human, that is- were getting less and less common, so Zero didn’t know many people who were... well, like him. It left him feeling like an outcast, an animal in a zoo to be gawked at. Yet with Kaname, he didn’t need to worry about that.

Yuuki ended up deciding to transfer permanently. From what Zero was told, the Kurans’ mother, Juri was none too happy about that and spent many a late night on the phone with her daughter, attempting to convince her not to. Yuuki didn’t listen and had everything moved into her new apartment within a week.

It was an odd feeling. If someone had told Zero a little over two months ago that he’d be friends with the Kurans, he’d have laughed in their face. But now, he felt like he’d known the two siblings for years.

***

A small smile graced the banshee’s lips as he walked, side by side with Kaname. The vampire was clad in a black pea coat, wearing it over a navy suit, while Zero was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a leather jacket over a sweater. They couldn’t have been more opposite if they’d tried.

 Far as the eye could see were lights all around them. Rainbow and white strings on the trees and bushes and the bright, neon colors of store signs sat in shop windows. The smells of apple cider and hot cocoa drifted through the air as they weaved through a crowd. Snow drifted down, collecting in a white blanket on the ground and their breath fogged in the air.

This close Zero could see Kaname’s chestnut waves that fell just past his shoulders, move with every step he took. He wondered how it would feel to run his hands through it, tangle his fingers in those dark strands.

Underneath the other aromas filling the air, Zero could make out the musky, earth tones of the vampire’s cologne. He didn’t know exactly what it was; he wasn’t a damn perfumer after all. But it was probably expensive and complex and way beyond his money limits. Still, it smelled nice. It made him want to bury his nose in Kaname’s neck and-

Okay, _fuck no._ He was _not_ going down that road again. His last relationship had ended with him killing his lover. For all he knew, so would the next one. Besides, he was nothing but a mountain of psychological issues and Kaname didn’t deserve that. He deserved someone better, someone who wouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night screaming. Someone better than Zero.

“This is… nice,” He commented somewhat awkwardly. His head always felt fuzzy around Kaname, he never knew quite what to say. The two were walking through the town’s Winter Festival. It was so full of life, crowds, and booths along a street that would otherwise have been empty. Noise filled the air as people chattered amongst themselves and children shouted their enjoyment.

The man gave a tiny smile. “I’m glad you like it,”

“I’ve never been before,” Zero confessed. “I’ve lived here my whole life, but something always came up and kept us from going or Ichiru was sick.”

“Well then, allow me to show you what you’ve been missing out on.”

***

The two walked up and down the street, taking their time and pausing to look at all the shops. One had custom pottery, another had hand-knitted scarves. There was another one that had all manner of sweets on display. Zero felt his stomach growl at the display, so Kaname bought them each an apple, coated in sticky caramel and chocolate chips.

“My treat,” He winked, enjoying the slight pink that spread across Zero’s face. It was hard to tell if it was from him or the cold, but he preferred to think it was the former.

They gazed at all the amazing workmanship of the local artisans as they ate their treats. By the time they’d finished, the outer corners of the banshee’s mouth were smudged with chocolate. Kaname reached over, without thinking and brushed it away with his thumb, the pad of his finger skimming over the banshee’s lip slightly. Zero’s breath caught as the vampire paused, his hand freezing in place.

“I- uh-“ _Damn it_ , his heart thumped wildly in his chest. Zero found himself at a loss for words. Fuck, what did one _normally_ say in a situation like this?

The banshee pulled back, ending… whatever it was _that_ had been. He grabbed Kaname’s hand, dragging him away before the man could comment on it.

The pair stumbled down the street, hands intertwined and a slight smile growing on the banshee’s face. He was actually enjoying this. How long had it been since Zero smiled? How long since he’d had _fun?_ His mind was scarcely occupied with anything other than thoughts of death and depression.

They came to a stop in front of what looked to be a large ice rink. Zero dropped Kaname’s hand in apprehension. Something mischievous glinted in Kaname’s eye. “Do _not,”_ Zero warned. But it was too late; he could already see an idea forming on the man’s face. The gears were turning in the vampire’s mind.

Before he could ask precisely what plan the vampire was cooking up, the vampire gripped his hand once more and held a finger to his lips before tugging gently on Zero’s arm. The banshee followed, more out of curiosity really. That curiosity turned to dread when he saw where the man was leading them.  A booth where people were being fitted with skates.

“Oh no,” He groaned.

“Oh _yes,”_

“But I don’t even know how to skate!” The banshee argued.

“Then I’ll show you.”

Zero sighed. There was no getting out of this, was there? He was doomed. Once Kaname set his mind on something, there was no talking him out of it. There was nothing to be done. _Maybe it will be fun,_ Zero reasoned in his head. “Fine,” He acquiesced.

The pair walked over to the counter and Kaname paid for their skates. The clerk asked for their shoe sizes before disappearing and reappearing moments later, two pairs of black skates in hand. They were directed over to a bench to sit and put their skates on.

A few minutes later and Zero stood at the edge of the rink, looking at the ice like it had tried to bite him while Kaname glanced at him from where he was standing on the ice and didn’t bother to hide his amusement.

“You’ll be fine,” Kaname promised.

“Or I’ll fall on my ass,” Zero returned, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, or that.”

“You’re not supposed to agree with me!” Zero snapped.

Kaname chuckled low in his throat and held a hand out towards the banshee. “Trust me.”

Zero twisted his lips in consideration. After a few seconds, he took the hand that was offered towards him.

And was promptly pulled forward, onto the ice. His feet slid, threatening to send him crashing to the ground.  Fingers clutched at Kaname’s coat for balance.

“You ass!” Zero hissed. The vampire was very clearly enjoying this.

“Just hold onto me,” The vampire said, offering his arm once more. Having no other choice besides tumbling to the ground, Zero grabbed onto it. The man moved slowly, showing Zero how to position his feet, how to move them and how to stop. It took quite some time and Zero nearly fell more times than he could count. But after a while, he grew somewhat used to it.

Someone cooed at the pair as they skated past them. Heat rose to Zero’s cheeks as it occurred to him what they looked like. They looked like a _couple._

That wasn’t to say Zero would be adverse to such an idea. There was… _something_ that had been growing between him and Kaname for weeks. It was in the way his cheeks heated up, the jolt that went through him when they touched, and the way the vampire’s glances made his mouth go dry and heart speed up. Even now, he could have probably let go of the man’s hand, but he didn’t.

Fuck, he was developing _feelings._ Zero wasn’t good with feelings. Feelings made things complicated.

Kaname gazed softly at the profiler beside him, wondering what thoughts were going through his mind. The man was refreshing in a way, he was stubborn and fiery, always speaking his mind and had an endless supply of witty comments. He wasn’t afraid to talk back to Kaname because of his money or his family’s influence. Things like money meant nothing to Zero. And he was oh so fun to tease as well, that delicious red blooming across his cheeks every time.

There was a part of Kaname that wanted to keep Zero all to himself; lock him away somewhere the world would never find him and keep him. Kaname had never been fond of sharing.

***

A few minutes later found the pairing wading back through the crowds. The inky blackness of night stretched above them and the number of people had thinned out. Their shoes scuffed softly on the asphalt as they walked. Zero came to a stop, Kaname following beside him.

“Thanks, for this.” The banshee whispered. “I didn’t think I even remembered what fun felt like.” He smiled.

For a moment, Kaname was breathless. He took in the pink dusting Zero’s nose and cheeks, his ashen hair slightly damp from the snow and sticking to his forehead. Lilac eyes caught the moonlight as they looked at him, red lips stretched into a grin.

“Kaname?” Zero questioned at his staring. “Wha-“

Before Zero could finish he found himself silenced as Kaname’s lips covered his own. He stiffened. _Shit._ There was no denying that the banshee wanted Kaname.  But it wasn’t that simple. He wasn’t cut out for a relationship, wasn’t stable enough for a relationship. But, damn it, he was so tired of thinking.

Before he could bring himself to back out of it, his hands reached for Kaname’s coat, tugging him closer as he responded to the kiss. The banshee gasped and Kaname took that chance to pry Zero’s mouth open, tongues intertwining. One of Kaname’s hands gripped his waist and the other tangled in ash hair, tilting Zero’s head further back as he explored the banshee's mouth.

_Oh god, what am I doing?_ He doesn’t know what this is or what _they_ are or what Kaname even expects from him and fuck if that doesn’t make his head spin. But in that moment, Zero is more than happy to forget about all of that and lose himself in the feeling of Kaname’s lips against his. At least until he has to run back home to his nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!


	5. And now I can't stop thinking that I almost gave you everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zero is definitely not okay and more is revealed about him and Kaito and why they broke up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey-o! Real quick, thanks for the kudos and comments, as always they motivate me to keep this story going so I really do appreciate it. :)
> 
>  
> 
> Quick warnings for this ch: Homophobic language and domestic abuse

The Dollmaker was gone. It was still hard, processing that. Along with him, Zero’s paranoia left too. The nightmares were still around, however. A part of him didn’t want to believe it. It seemed hard to believe that it was just _over_ that easily.

Zero’s guilt over Kaito’s death lessened but didn’t disappear completely. Not even knowing what he had done. _Was he really The Dollmaker?_ Zero would like to say he knew Kaito, that he would never do something like that. But he finds himself questioning, doubting. Kaito always had one hell of a temper.

The grief he felt was still fresh. He replayed that moment of Kaito’s death over and over again in his mind. If he’d only acted differently. If he’d only not had his damn finger on the trigger. _If if if if if._

“Here’s your water, hun.” A voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to thank the waitress with a smile. The café was small and had an American 1950’s vibe going for it. The main color theme of the place was black, white and red. It was nice, cozy and familiar.

“Zero?” Across from him, Kaname was staring at him.

He blinked, coming back to himself. “Right, uh sorry to keep you waiting.” He apologized, having stumbled through the door ten minutes late for their date.

“Quite alright,” The vampire assured him. The profiler’s cheeks were still flushed from the cold. Kaname rested his chin on his hand and reached out to trace a finger along Zero’s jawline. “You look good in red,” he hummed.

Zero’s lips curved into a devious smile and raised a brow, “That’s not all I look good in,” He leaned in close, breath brushing the other man’s lips as he spoke. The vampire’s eyes darkened, he moved in to meet Zero when-

Zero pulled back as the waitress arrived with their orders. She set the food down and Zero thanked her with a smile before she flounced off.

“It’s not nice to tease, Zero,” Kaname said with a frown. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say the vampire was _pouting_. It was actually kind of adorable. The banshee chuckled.

Zero smirked, plucking the cherry from the whipped cream on his milkshake. The vampire’s eyes were glued to his lips as he brought the cherry to his mouth. A second later he spat the stem out, tied into a knot.

The brunette opened his mouth to respond when someone else beat him to it.

_“Hey, fags! Take your freakshow somewhere else!”_

Red bled into the vampire’s gaze as Kaname growled. The man bristled. A hand grabbed his arm,

“Kaname, don’t-“

“Care to repeat that?” He questioned, ignoring Zero, standing and turning to face the table that had hollered at them. It was a table of four boys, each about college age. He made a show of baring his fangs at the group, delighting in the way they recoiled.

“Creep,” One muttered.

“Fuck, man let’s get outta here before the fucking monster eats us or some shit.” The first boy said. He slammed some money down on the counter before the group made their way outside. Kaname couldn’t resist licking his teeth as they passed if only to watch their pace quicken.

“You’re terrible,” Zero chastised as the vampire sat back down.

“My my, how hurtful, Zero. You wound me.” The vampire pouted.

“I’m sure you’ll survive,” Zero returned flatly.

The banshee went silent as he sipped his milkshake, turning to gaze out the window. It was a comfortable silence, neither felt the need to talk to fill space.

He blinked, suddenly his hands were coated in thick, blood. It crawled over his skin, squelching between his fingers. _Get it off, get it off, get it off._ Hurriedly, he reached for the napkins and started wiping his hands furiously.

“Zero, Zero!” Kaname’s hand shot out to grip his wrist. “What are you doing?”

“I can’t get it off!”

“Get _what_ off? Zero, there’s nothing on your hands.” The vampire murmured in alarm. People around them were beginning to stare at the two.

“I- what?” His gaze shifted to his hands and sure enough, there was nothing there. Just pale, smarting flesh. His hands shook. He’d never done that before. _Am I losing my mind?_ “Sorry,” He muttered.

Kaname’s brows furrowed and his thumb stroked the back of Zero’s hand. “You worried me. Tell me, what did you see?”

“Blood. It was all over my hands.”

The vampire frowned at him. Zero wondered what he was thinking. Was this the part where Kaname walked away, wanting nothing more to do with him? The banshee couldn’t blame him if he did. No one wanted to be with a crazy person, after all.

He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud until Kaname replied,

“You’re not crazy, Zero. It was just a mild hallucination, that’s all.”

Zero nodded. Right, just a mild hallucination. It was probably due to the lack of sleep. Yes, that was it.

The two finished their milkshakes in silence.

***

Kaito was staring at Zero from across the room. There was a hole in his chest and his skin was a sickly gray color. They were sitting in the banshee’s apartment, Kaito sitting on his couch like nothing had ever happened.

“You’re dead,”

“You killed me.”

“It was an accident!” Zero said. The lie rolled off his lips easily. Kaito tilted his head.

“Was it?” White eyes looked accusingly at Zero.

Zero drew back slightly. “It was,” He insisted as a cruel smirk spread across the dead man’s lips.

“Do you remember the first time I hit you, Zero?”

_It was late and Zero was exhausted as he stumbled inside. He immediately went into the kitchen, his stomach growling in anger. The light switch beside the doorway flicked on. “Kaito,” Zero sighed. His stomach was in knots._

_“Where were you?” Kaito demanded. “I waited for hours.”_

_“I was at work, Kaito. You know that.” He rubbed his temples, not wanting to do this right now. He wanted to crawl into bed, not fight. Kaito narrowed his eyes, walking over and taking a seat at the table. “Look – I’m sorry, Kaito. But I’m not in the mood to deal with your petty jealousy right now.”_

_“Oh, now I’m petty?”_

_“Yes! You’re jealous over nothing!”_

_“Nothing? You’ve come home late every single damn time this week and you won’t tell me anything about this supposed ‘case’.”  
“Because I can’t! You know that!” Zero was shouting now, probably waking up his neighbors. He wasn’t allowed to discuss information about the case he was on with_anyone. _Kaito knew that. So then why was the man acting like a child?_

_Kaito was pacing the floor, jaw tight enough to hurt and fingers clenched into fists. Zero had never seen him this angry before. He took a step backward. Kaito could be unpredictable at times, one never quite knew how he would react._

_“Are you cheating on me? Is that it?” Kaito spat, turning his back on Zero._

_Zero grabbed at his shoulder. “Kaito, no-“_

_The man swung around and before Zero knew what was happening, a fist hit him across his right cheek. He stumbled backward, clutching at his face. He could already feel a bruise swelling and his lip had been split open. For a minute he just stood there in shock and disbelief._

_Zero batted away the hand that reached for him._

_“Zero, baby. Fuck, I’m sor-“_

_“Shut up,” Zero snapped, wincing.  Even talking hurt now. “You don’t get to say that,” He grabbed his keys and brushed past Kaito on his way to the door because like fuck he was staying with that asshole tonight. Kaito grabbed his wrist._

_“Wait-“_

_“Don’t touch me!” Zero snarled. Kaito pulled back and let Zero walk out of the apartment, unbothered. He stayed at Ichiru’s place that night. Kaito was gone in the morning._

That was nearly the last time Kaito hurt Zero – physically, at least. Instead, he preferred to toy with Zero, treating him like a possession, a pet that he owned.

_***_

_“Who was that?” Kaito demanded not a moment after the door swung shut. The banshee swallowed around the lump in his throat and forced the words out. Kaito was angry, but he’d be downright furious if Zero didn’t respond._

_“Daisuke, an old friend.” Zero replied. He and Daisuke had been friends since high school and only recently reconnected thanks to social media. He was careful not to say more than that._

_“I don’t like him,” The older man said coldly. Zero stiffened slightly, bracing himself for pain. Inviting Daisuke over had been a stupid idea.”You won’t see him anymore. At all.”_

_“Okay,” The banshee nodded. Agreement made Kaito happy and a happy Kaito was a good thing. Arms snaked around his waist and he forced himself to lean back into his boyfriend’s chest._

_“Good. I know you don’t want to make me angry, baby.”_

_***_

_“Zero, we’re going to be late for dinner!”_

_“Dinner?”_

_“With my parents, remember?”_

_Zero’s head peeked around the corner from the kitchen. “You said that wasn’t until next week! Kaito, I have a really important meeting today. I have to be there.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Zero wished he could take them back. But it was too late, the damage was done._

_Kaito turned around slowly, his tie still hanging loosely around his shoulders.”So your job is more important than me now? Is that it?”_

_“No, I-“_

_The man stalked towards Zero, forcing back against the refrigerator. “No? Because that’s sure as hell what it sounded like.” There was a warning in his voice. Zero’s eyes flickered to the ground._

_“You’re going to dinner with me, Zero.” An order._

_Zero nodded._

Zero didn’t hang out with friends unless Kaito said it was okay. Zero always went where Kaito wanted him to go, hanging on his arm like a pretty little trophy. What he ate, drank, did – all of it was controlled by Kaito. Zero didn’t even realize what was going on.

Until he did.

It was a Saturday night and they’d gone out for drinks with Kaito’s friends. One of said friends took a liking to Zero. He kept flirting with him, subtle touches here and there. Zero squirmed in discomfort at the whole situation and when the couple returned to their apartment, Kaito lost it.

***

As soon as the apartment door was closed, Zero found himself pressed up against it and his mouth roughly claimed. Tasting liquor, he pushed Kaito away. Anger flared in those brown eyes.

“What, you don’t want me anymore, is that it? Think I’m not good enough for you?”

“Kaito, it’s not tha-“ Zero tried to protest but then the man was crowding him against the door, arms on either side of his head. The banshee didn’t dare try to move.

“You thinking of _leaving me_ , Zero?” He pressed. Zero shook his head, eyes wide. A shudder ran down his spine as Kaito laughed,

“Of course you aren’t, baby. You’re _mine,_ aren’t you?” Once more, the man nodded. “No, baby – I want to hear you say it.”

“Yes, I’m yours.” Zero forced out, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He’d never seen Kaito this angry before.

“And you’re never going to leave me, are you? Because if you do, I might get _very_ angry.” The man whispered like it was some big secret.

It felt like a bucket of ice had been poured over Zero. Something dark gleamed in Kaito’s eyes. But he wouldn’t- surely he didn’t mean- Kaito wouldn’t… _kill_ Zero, would he? His heart raced. Zero examined all of the man’s past actions in his mind, looking at them from a new perspective. Kaito thought of him as his, a thing to be owned. And he knew first-hand how much Kaito hated to have something taken away from him. Adrenaline ran through his veins as reality settled in.

“No,” He promised. “I’ll never leave you.”

***

Those words had been a wakeup call. The last straw. Zero called Lilith that night, while Kaito was in the shower and told the woman everything, Kaito hitting him, the manipulation, all of it. He left nothing out. Within minutes the police were at their door, taking Kaito away in handcuffs.

Probation and therapy. That was the sentence. Months in court, recounting every painful detail, every bruise, and every word… only for Kaito to get probation and therapy. Not even a restraining order. The great American justice system at work.

Six months later and Kaito was at Zero’s door, claiming he’d changed. He didn’t expect Zero to take him back, only hoped to rekindle their old friendship. It would take time, to get back to how things were between them. But Zero, despite everything, had always been too kind. He agreed.

“I’m not that person anymore,” Zero grit out. “I’m not your punching bag. You can’t hurt me anymore.”

“No. You saw to that, didn’t you? Come now, try and tell me you didn’t enjoy pulling that trigger at least a little bit.”

He couldn’t. The truth was that a part of Zero had enjoyed it, had delighted even, in watching all the pain that he’d inflicted on Zero be thrown back at him. A part of him had relished in the look of pain on his face as he tried half-heartedly to save the man, watching him bleed through his fingers and feeling the warm liquid squelch beneath his hands. His own, dirty little secret. One he’d take with him to his grave.

“You’re dead.” Zero repeated. “I don’t owe you any explanations.”

And just like that, Zero woke up.

***

For a while Zero simply sat there, in bed gazing up at the ceiling. He’d never told anyone about what Kaito did to him. Who would believe him? Ichiru figured it out on his own and threatened to tear the man apart, but Zero made him swear to keep it a secret.

He thought he had it under control. But doesn’t everyone say that? It always starts out small, one or two incidents here and there. Planting the idea in their head that they own you.

Zero sighs, reaches for his phone on the nightstand. It’s late and he doesn’t want to think about Kaito right now. Instead, his hand catches something else and freezes. _What is that?_ It feels round and cold, like metal.  He grabs it, brings it in close so he can see it in the dark.

A ring. Silver, with several rubies surrounding an amethyst. His heart jumps into his throat. _I don’t have a ring that looks like this._

The man reaches for the gun behind his pillow, body moving before his mind can even catch up and darts for the light switch by the door. He flicks it on. Unsurprisingly, no one is there. He opens the closet door for good measure.

The banshee does a full sweep of his house, going from room to room with the weapon in his hand. A couple of other things have been moved, a table lamp in the living room moved from the right side to the left, a coffee mug put on the kitchen table, things like that. Nothing is missing though.

It’s enough to make Zero’s skin crawl, knowing that someone was in his house, watching him sleep and going through his things. An unsettling feeling and one that had wiped away any and all chances of getting back to sleep that night.

So Zero stayed up, sitting in his kitchen and nursing a glass of whiskey. He toyed with the ring, rolling it between his fingers. The piece of jewelry was slipped onto a finger as Zero watched it catch the light off of the kitchen ceiling. The whole thing was creepy and violating, yes, but he couldn’t deny that the ring itself was a beautiful piece of jewelry.

The banshee took a deep breath. He called Lilith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave a comment :). I don't bite, I promise.


	6. Shout, shout, let it all out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zero and Lilith butt heads and Zero continues to unravel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for all the kudos and comments. Even if I don't always reply to them, I do read each and every one of them and they always make my day. I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story so far! :)
> 
>  
> 
> Content warnings for this chapter: (mild) suicidal thoughts

“Was anything taken?” Lilith crossed her arms, staring at the banshee in front of her. He shook his head,

“No.”

“Anything left behind? A note or something?”

Zero hesitated, his thumb brushed over the ring. “No.” _Fuck,_ _why did I say that? Why did I lie?_ He couldn’t explain it, but a part of him wanted to keep the ring. If he told Lilith about it, they’d take it away to process it as evidence.

The woman pursed her lips together. “I don’t know what to say, Zero. Are you _sure_ that you didn’t move those things and you just forgot about it?”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure,” She didn’t believe him, he could tell. To be fair, he couldn’t much blame her. He’d likely react the same way, in her shoes.

“It just seems strange for a person to break in here and not leave anything or take anything, is all I’m saying,” Lilith said.

Zero swallowed and glared at the floor. “It was him. I’m positive, it was The Dollmaker.”

“Zero, we’ve been over this. The Dollmaker-“

“Isn’t dead! I know Kaito. He would never do something like that.” Who _else_ would leave a fucking ring on his bedside table? It _had_ to be The Dollmaker. He was taunting Zero.

“We found a body in his kitchen,” Lilith told him quietly. Technically Zero wasn’t allowed to know these things, but if it would get him to drop this ridiculous idea, then she would tell him everything if she needed to (even if he _did_ already know, thanks to Yuuki). “Evidence aside, are you truly sure that Kaito wasn’t capable of killing someone?” Her blue eyes dug into Zero, seeing right through him.

“Of course I am!”

“I talked to Ichiru.” And just like that, Zero’s expression shifted, lips thinning into a straight line and lilac eyes turning hard as he closed himself off. Those four words were enough to undo him. But something didn’t add up about the whole thing. Kaito couldn’t be The Dollmaker, he was sure of that. The man wasn’t even a vampire, to begin with. How was he the only one who saw the issue here? Zero ignored the voice in his head that reminded him Kaito had gone to medical school. It wouldn’t be a farfetched idea to consider that he would know how to remove blood from people without leaving a mark.

“You had no right,” He accused. He hated the pity he saw in her eyes.

“Zero, I-“

“You _what_?”

“I had to know more about Kaito. I couldn’t trust you to be objective so we went to Ichiru. He told us everything.” She explained. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t want your sympathy,” He grumbled. The Dollmaker was still out there and as long as he was, he would continue killing. More lives would be lost, innocent people slaughtered. Not if Zero could help it.

“Kaito wasn’t a good man, Zero. It’s time you accepted that and moved on.”

Fuck. He hated when Lilith made a good point.

Perhaps it was. He considered her words, weighing them. _Kaito wasn’t a good man._ It felt weird to say that, even in his own head. For so long he’d been the one who fucked up, the one who made mistakes. It was always _his_ fault. What if… what if Lilith was right? Maybe Zero was only seeing what he wanted to see right now. He hadn’t wanted Kaito to be The Dollmaker, so in his eyes, Kaito _wasn’t_ The Dollmaker.

“This isn’t a television show, Zero. Not everything is a conspiracy.” The woman continued. “Sometimes it really is just that simple.”

“I-“ Words caught in his throat. “Okay.” He nodded.

_Okay._

***

Zero was lost. Kaito had been gone for months now, but what he'd  _done_ was only just now sinking in. He felt like his whole worldview had been rocked. For so many years his world had revolved around Kaito. He lived, slept, ate, _breathed_ all for Kaito. At one point he thought they’d spend the rest of their lives together, high off of young love.

Why hadn’t he seen it?

When had he and Kaito fallen out of love? When had the magic worn off?

As the banshee sat, huddled up on his couch he couldn’t help but feel at least partially responsible for what had happened to those people. Could he have prevented this somehow? He could still picture their faces, all of them dead and mutilated.

All the doubt and the self-loathing came bubbling to the surface. It felt as though there were hands around his throat, choking the life out of him. Zero was drowning, suffocating in his guilt.

***

_“And how is the depression?” Zero asked as he flipped through his notes. The man in front of him gave a shrug. He was wearing a thick, jacket, shoulders slumped down._

_“I don’t know,” Came the reply. “Sometimes… sometimes I just wonder if it’s all worth it. My kids hate me, all my wife and I do is fight anymore. What’s the point, you know?”_

_The banshee gave a sympathetic nod as he scribbled on the notepad. He couldn’t imagine what that must feel like. He knew that the couple had been having issues for some time due to the man's long battle with depression. This was a broken man. He woke up, ate, went to work, slept, all like a puppet being jerked around on strings. He didn’t even feel like playing with his kids anymore, planting the seeds for hatred and resentment._

_“Any suicidal thoughts?” The psychiatrist pushed gently. He hated having to push, but he needed to know. He politely ignored the sounds of the man’s sniffling. That is until he heard a telltale_ click.

_He stiffened as his eyes flickered over to the man, not even three feet away from him. There was a gun in his hand. The banshee froze in his place, heart freezing in his chest._

_“Sir, sir please, whatever this is, we can talk-“ Zero held his hands out, calmly trying to placate the man._

_His hands were shaking where they gripped the metal._

_“I’m done talking!” He shouted, making the banshee flinch. “What’s the point?” He sobbed. Slowly, he raised the gun, pointing it not at Zero- but at_ himself.

_The banshee reached out, without thinking, moving to rise from his seat. “No! Don-“_

_The gun went off before he could even finish his sentence. A bullet soared through the man’s skull. Zero fell back into his seat, as blood splattered over the front of him, sticking to his face._

_He didn’t move. He couldn’t. Zero could scarcely believe it. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, unseeing even as they took in the body in front of him. There was blood on the floor of his office. A life that could never be replaced. And all he could do was sit in stunned silence._

It had been the worst moment of his entire life, Zero remembered. He’d been fresh out of school as well, at the time of the incident. And yet, he couldn’t even remember the man’s name.

_Why am I thinking of this now?_ He dreamt about that incident over and over again in the weeks that followed. He kept seeing the man’s finger pressing down on the trigger, his eyes widening for a split second before his head had a hole in it. He couldn’t save him.

Zero couldn’t save _anyone._

He sighed and reached for his phone.

“Zero?” Kaname’s voice greeted him. _Why did I call him?_ He could have called Ichiru, or Yuuki even. But instead, he’d called Kaname.

“Hey, uh are you busy?”

A pause. “No, not particularly.”

“But, aren’t you at work?”

“It’s a slow day. We’ve really got more people than we know what to do with. Why, has something come up?”

“I-“ He felt his throat tighten. “Could you come over? I don’t want to be alone right now.” He felt stupid for asking such a thing, childish even. Kaname had just said he was at work. Of course, he couldn’t-

“I’m on my way over.”

_What?_ “But, your work-“

“Will be just fine. Takuma can hold down the fort while I’m gone.”

“Are you sure?”

Kaname ended the call and Zero supposed that was his answer.

***

Zero was going over every case he’d ever been on, in his mind. Could have done this, should have done that. He kept seeing all the victims behind closed eyes, lifeless and stiff. Every one of them could have been saved. If he’d only been a bit quicker, a bit smarter. So much blood on his hands.

What would happen if he killed himself? If he simply didn’t exist anymore? One way or another, the guilt and the self-hatred would disappear. Would anyone grieve for him? _Stupid question, of course, they would._ They’d cry, be sad for a few months and then move on. Life would continue. Just like it always did.

He could already see it now, his brother dressed in black as faceless strangers offered their condolences and patted his hand reassuringly. But nothing would ever change. “Oh, poor thing,” they’d coo and gently wipe at their eyes. They would never contact the family again or even think to ask how he’d died. All that would matter is the simple fact that he’s dead and people are supposed to put on their saddest expression. No one would visit his grave to place flowers, or pick up their phone to call them and feel their throat tighten as they _remember._ Because in the end, Zero would be just another statistic. Another number on a chart. _Percentage of people who committed suicide in 2017._

His mind drifted back to The Dollmaker. Even the name still gave him chills. _He’s gone,_ he reminded himself. _Kaito can’t hurt me anymore._ But did that really change anything? The victims were still dead, their families and friends still grieved. And Zero? Well, Kaito got what he wanted. Zero would _never_ be able to forget him.

A few moments later, the doorbell rang and Zero hefted himself up to go answer it, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and trailing behind him on the floor.

Kaname greeted him on the other side and Zero moved to let him in.

“What’s the matter?”

Zero’s hands shook as he closed the door. He looked at Kaname and saw a man far better than him, one whose hands weren’t tainted with red. Zero didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve his love.

He broke down. “It’s all my fucking fault!” His voice was a mixture between a sob and a scream. He couldn’t bring himself to care as tears ran freely down his cheeks.

Then Kaname was taking his hand, holding it between his own and guiding him over to the couch. “Tell me everything.”

“Kaito- The Dollmaker- it’s all my fucking fault!” Surely Kaname had seen the headlines by now. It was all over the news. _FBI Agent puts The Dollmaker’s reign of terror to an end._ They’d even managed to phrase it like he’d done a good thing. Like he was a goddamn hero. _Hoo-fucking-ray._ The banshee clung to Kaname’s shirt like a lifeline, tears seeping into the fabric. “I could have saved them! I should have known, should have seen-“

“Zero,” The vampire interrupted, gently but firmly. He cupped Zero’s face, making him look up at the man. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”

“Yes, I should have! I should have known since he-“ He stopped. Oh god, was he really going to tell him?

“Since he _what?_ ” Kaname pressed.

“Kaito changed” Zero forced out. Normally he’d be mortified if he told someone that, let alone a man he’d only been on a handful of dates with. But he was so tired, so _broken._ He was tired of carrying this weight around, of this secret resting on his shoulders alone. He wanted, no, he _needed_ someone to hear him.

 “I don’t really know when, but he changed. He started becoming so _angry_ all of the time. He’d throw things, break things. It was terrifying to watch. And then one day he- one day he punched me. He thought I was cheating on him. I stayed the night with my brother and he was gone the next day. We didn’t see each other for two weeks after that but-“ His throat tightened.

“It was like a switch had been flipped. He became controlling, started messing with my head. I never saw anyone without going through Kaito first, my friends all cut me off out of spite. If he didn’t like something I wore, then I threw it out. I only ate what he wanted me to. I was his puppet and I didn’t even realize it.” Zero’s voice caught but this time Kaname didn’t press him. He was thankful for that. The banshee kept his eyes glued to the wall, only occasionally glancing at the vampire.

“He was rarely physical with his abuse after that first incident. That’s not to say it didn’t happen though.” He saw Kaname’s lips thin at that and his eyes narrow in anger, though it wasn’t directed at Zero.

“He kicked me, bruised my ribs when I forgot our anniversary. Another time, I broke a plate he’d given me and received a bloody nose and a black eye for my mistake. I lost count eventually. Each time it only got worse. I was living in fear with Kaito, not in love with him. It was only when he threatened to kill me that I finally saw what a monster he was.” Zero continued. He told Kaname about the subsequent arrest, the trial, the half-assed sentence. Every single bit, every detail he forced out. He’d kept it bottled up for so long, it felt freeing and nerve-wracking at the same time, to finally get it all out.

Kaname didn’t look at him in pity or unwanted sympathy. He only listened with a blank expression on his face. It was so hard to tell what the vampire was thinking. “Zero, that doesn’t make any of this your fault. You’re a victim as much as anyone else Kaito has hurt.” The words were gentle, spoken softly. “You couldn’t have predicted what he was going to do.”

“But my abilities, I should have-“

“Zero, you and I both know that doesn’t solve everything. Everyone has their limits.”

The banshee gnawed on his lower lip. Should he tell Kaname about the ring? He wanted to and by all means, the vampire deserved to know what he was getting into. But… things were going well between them and he didn’t want to lose him. _He’ll think I’m crazy._

_Everyone has their limits._ But Zero’s job was to push _beyond_ his limits, to see what no one else could. His job was to save lives. And if you asked him? He was doing a piss poor job of it.

“It’s not your fault,” Kaname murmured.

But wasn’t it though? If it wasn’t for Kaito’s sick obsession with him, none of this would have happened.

“Look at me,” The vampire requested, finger tapping against the banshee’s chin. “You did all that you could, Zero. Those people are dead through no fault of your own.”

Was there really anything he could have done? Or was he punishing himself over nothing? He knew the answer to that already. The families and friends of the victims had already forgiven him, most of them having never placed the blame on Zero’s shoulders to begin with. But could he forgive himself?


	7. Not an update

Hey guys, so first of all, I'm really sorry there wasn't an update this week. I've got a lot going on right now and I just can't find the time to edit ch 7 and I feel like I wouldn't be putting my best effort forward if I rushed it. Again, really sorry about this! Updates will be back to normal next week though! :) 


End file.
